Image generating apparatus with pixel calculation circuit including texture mapping and motion compensation

An image generating apparatus of the present invention includes a pixel calculation circuit for performing a calculation by using two sets of image data, wherein the pixel calculation circuit performs a calculation for a motion compensation processing procedure by using pixel data of a reference image and pixel data of a differential image in the case where the motion compensation processing procedure is performed, and performs a calculation for a texture mapping processing procedure by using pixel data of a mapping image and pixel data in a polygon in the case where the texture mapping processing procedure is performed.

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Claims

1. An image generating apparatus comprising a pixel calculation circuit for performing a calculation by using two sets of image data,

wherein the pixel calculation circuit performs a calculation for a motion compensation processing procedure by using pixel data of a reference image and pixel data of a differential image in the case where the motion compensation processing procedure is performed, and performs a calculation for a texture mapping processing procedure by using pixel data of a mapping image and pixel data in a polygon in the case where the texture mapping processing procedure is performed.

2. An image generating apparatus comprising:

a pixel position specifying circuit for receiving a command signal indicating at least one of a motion compensation processing procedure and a texture mapping processing procedure and for outputting a signal indicating a first pixel position, a signal indicating a second pixel position and a signal indicating a third pixel position, in accordance with the command signal,
the first pixel position being a position of a pixel in a reference image block, the second pixel position being a position of a pixel in a generated image block, and the third pixel position being a position of a pixel in a differential image block when the command signal indicates the motion compensation processing procedure,
the first pixel position and the second pixel position being positions of pixels in a polygon which is subjected to mapping, and the third pixel position being a position of a pixel in a texture image when the command signal indicates the texture mapping procedure;
an image memory access section for outputting a pixel value of the first pixel position as first pixel data in response to a signal indicating the first pixel position; for outputting a pixel value of the third pixel position as third pixel data in response to a signal indicating the third pixel position, and for writing the second pixel data to the second pixel position in response to a signal indicating the second pixel position and second pixel data; and
a pixel calculation circuit for performing a calculation between the first pixel data and the third pixel data to output a result of the calculation as the second pixel data.

3. An image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the command signal indicates the motion compensation processing procedure, the second pixel position is the same as the third pixel position.

4. An image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the command signal indicates the motion compensation processing procedure, the second pixel position is different from the third pixel position.

5. An image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the pixel position specifying circuit outputs a position of a pixel in the reference image block as the first pixel position, a position of a pixel in a generated polygon to be texture mapped as the second pixel position, and a position of a pixel in the differential image block as the third pixel position when the command signal indicates simultaneous implementation of the motion compensation processing procedure and the texture mapping processing procedure.

6. An image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in response to the command signal, the pixel calculation circuit calculates the first pixel data and the third pixel data as data with precision with code in the case where the command signal indicates the motion compensation processing procedure or the simultaneous implementation of the motion compensation processing procedure and the texture mapping processing procedure, and calculates the first pixel data and the third pixel data as data with precision without code in the case where the command signal indicates the texture mapping processing procedure.

7. An image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in response to the command signal, the pixel position specifying circuit specifies pixel portions so that a relative position of the first pixel position in the reference image block, a relative position of the third pixel position in the differential image block and a relative position of the second pixel position in the generated image block are the same in the case where the command signal indicates the motion compensation processing procedure.

8. An image generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, in response to the command signal, the pixel position specifying circuit sequentially calculates a pixel position of each pixel on a horizontal line in the generated polygon, specifies the pixel positions as the first pixel position and the second pixel position, calculates a pixel position in the texture image corresponding to the first pixel position and the second pixel position, and specifies the calculated pixel position as the third pixel position in the case where the command signal indicates the texture mapping processing procedure, and wherein, in response to the command signal, the pixel position specifying circuit sequentially calculates a pixel position of each pixel on a horizontal line in the generated image block, specifies the pixel position as the second pixel position, and specifies the third pixel position and the first pixel position so that a relative position of the third pixel position in the differential image block and a relative position of the first pixel position in the reference image block are the same as a relative position of the second pixel position in the generated image block in the case where the command signal indicates the motion compensation processing procedure.

9. An image generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, in response to the command signal, the pixel position specifying circuit sequentially calculates a pixel position of each pixel on a horizontal line in the texture image, specifies the pixel position as the third pixel position, calculates a pixel position in the generated polygon corresponding to the third pixel position, and specifies the pixel position as the first pixel position and the second pixel position in the case where the command signal indicates the texture mapping processing procedure, and wherein, in response to the command signal, the pixel position specifying circuit sequentially calculates a pixel position of each pixel on a horizontal line in the differential image block, specifies the pixel position as the third pixel position, and specifies the first pixel position and the second pixel position so that a relative position of the first pixel position in the reference image block and a relative position of the second pixel position in the generated image block are the same as a relative position of the third pixel position in the differential image block in the case where the command signal indicates the motion compensation processing procedure.

10. An image generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, in response to the command signal, the pixel position specifying circuit sequentially calculates a pixel position of each pixel on a horizontal line in the generated polygon, specifies the pixel position as the second pixel position, obtains a pixel position to be mapped to pixel data at the second pixel position in the differential image block, specifies the obtained pixel position as the third pixel position, and specifies the first pixel position so that a relative position of the third pixel position in the differential image block and a relative position of the first pixel position in the reference image block are the same in the case where the command signal indicates simultaneous implementation of the motion compensation processing procedure and the texture mapping processing procedure.

11. An image generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, in response to the command signal, the pixel position specifying circuit sequentially calculates a pixel position of each pixel on a horizontal line in the differential image block, specifies the pixel position as the third pixel position, obtains a pixel position in the generated polygon which corresponds to the third pixel position, specifies the obtained pixel position as the second pixel position, and specifies the first pixel position so that a relative position of the third pixel position in the differential image block and a relative position of the first pixel position in the reference image block are the same in the case where the command signal indicates simultaneous implementation of the motion compensation processing procedure and the texture mapping processing procedure.

12. An image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in response to the command signal, the pixel calculation circuit reads out the first pixel position data from the first pixel position in the reference image block, reads out the third pixel data from the third pixel position in the differential image block, and performs a calculation by using the first pixel data and the third pixel data, performing a block motion compensation processing procedure, which writes the second pixel data serving as the result of the calculation to the second pixel position indicating the pixel position in the generated image block, for all pixels in one image block, and then performing an image block determination processing procedure for specifying a pixel position by using the generated image block as a new differential image block and an image block which is shifted by one pixel from the reference image block as a new reference image block in the case where the command signal indicates the motion compensation processing procedure.

13. An image generating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the pixel position specifying circuit performs a pixel block determination processing procedure for determining an image block shifted to the right by one pixel from the reference image block as the new reference image block.

14. An image generating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the pixel position specifying circuit performs a pixel block determination processing procedure for determining an image block shifted downward by one pixel from the reference image block as the new reference image block.

15. An image generating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the pixel position specifying circuit repeats twice or more the image block determination processing procedure for determining the generated image block as a new differential image block and an image block shifted by one pixel from the reference image block as a new reference image block, and wherein the reference image block is shifted in a different direction for each image block determination processing procedure in the twice or more of the image block determination processing procedure.

16. An image generating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, in the case where the image block determination processing procedure is repeated twice or more, the pixel position specifying circuit uses any one of an image block shifted to the right by one pixel from the reference image block, an image block shifted downward by one pixel from the reference image block, and an image block shifted to the right and downward by one pixel from the reference image block as the new reference image block.

17. An image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, after a block motion compensation processing procedure which is a motion compensation processing procedure for one image block is performed, the pixel position specifying circuit determines a generated image block generated by the block motion compensation processing procedure as a texture image and performs an image block determination processing procedure for determining a new generated polygon, wherein the image memory access section reads out the first pixel data from the first pixel position in the generated polygon and the third pixel data from the third pixel position in the texture image, and wherein the pixel calculation circuit performs a calculation by using the first pixel data and the third pixel data, writes the second image data obtained by the calculation to the second pixel position in the generated polygon, and sequentially performs the calculation and the write for pixel data in the generated polygon.

18. An image generating apparatus comprising:

a control circuit for outputting a command signal indicating a process to be performed in the image generating apparatus;
a pixel position specifying circuit, in response to the command signal, for calculating a pixel position in a reference image block for motion compensation to output the pixel position as a first pixel position signal, calculating a pixel position in a generated image block to output the pixel position as a second pixel position signal, and calculating a pixel position in a differential image block which is difference data between the reference image block and the generated image block to output the pixel position as a third pixel position signal in the case where the command signal indicates a motion compensation processing procedure, the pixel position specifying circuit, in response to the command signal, for calculating a pixel position in a texture image to output the pixel position as the third pixel position signal, and calculating a pixel position in a generated polygon to which pixel data at the pixel position indicated by the third pixel position is mapped and written so as to output the pixel position as the first pixel position signal and the second pixel position signal in the case where the command signal indicates a texture mapping processing procedure, the pixel position specifying circuit, in response to the command signal, for newly determining positions of the differential image block, the generated image block and the differential image block or positions of the generated polygon and the texture image in the case where the command signal indicates an image block determination processing procedure and an image block position;
an image memory access section, in response to the first pixel position signal, the second pixel position signal and the third pixel position signal, for reading out pixel data from the pixel position indicated by the first pixel position signal to output the pixel data as a first pixel data signal, for reading out pixel data from the pixel position indicated by the third pixel position signal to output the pixel data as a third pixel data signal, and for writing pixel data input by a second pixel data signal to the pixel position indicated by the second pixel position signal; and
a pixel calculation circuit, with respect to the pixel data indicated by the input first pixel data signal and the input third pixel data signal, for performing a calculation indicated by the command signal for the pixel data as data with code by a unit of a pixel in the case where the command signal indicates a motion compensation processing procedure, and for performing a calculation indicated by the command signal for the pixel data as data without code by a unit of a pixel in the case where the command signal indicates a texture mapping processing procedure, and for outputting a result of the calculation as the second pixel data signal,
wherein the control circuit receives and interprets a control command for image generation operation to indicate contents of processing procedure to the pixel position specifying circuit and the pixel calculation circuit.

19. An image generating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the image memory access section includes: a first image memory access section for receiving the first pixel position signal and the second pixel position signal, for reading out pixel data from the pixel position indicated by the first pixel position signal to output the pixel position as the first pixel data signal, and for writing pixel data input by the second pixel data signal to the pixel position indicated by the second pixel position signal; and a second image memory access section for receiving the third pixel position signal, reading out pixel data from the pixel position indicated by the third pixel position signal to output the pixel data as the third pixel data signal, and the image generating apparatus includes a block image memory for storing a texture image or a differential image block and outputting pixel data from the pixel position specified by the second image memory access section.

20. An image generating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the image memory access section includes: a first image memory access section for receiving the first pixel position signal, the second pixel position signal and a fourth pixel position signal, for reading pixel data from the pixel position indicated by the first pixel position signal to output the pixel data as the first pixel data signal, for reading out pixel data from the pixel position indicated by the fourth pixel position signal to output the pixel data as a fourth pixel data signal, and for writing pixel data input by the second pixel data signal to the pixel position indicated by the second pixel position signal; and a second image memory access section for receiving the third pixel position signal and a fifth pixel position signal, for reading out pixel data from the pixel position indicated by the third pixel position signal to output the pixel data as the third pixel data signal and for writing pixel data input by the fifth pixel data signal to a pixel position indicated by the fifth pixel position signal,

wherein the image generating apparatus includes: a block image memory for storing a texture image or a differential image block and for inputting and outputting pixel data from the pixel position specified by the second image memory access section; and
an image transfer circuit for receiving the command signal, for sequentially outputting a pixel reading position in the differential image block or the texture image as the fourth pixel position signal, for sequentially outputting a pixel writing position in the block image memory as the fifth pixel position signal, and for outputting pixel data input as the fourth pixel data signal as the fifth pixel data signal so as to transfer the differential image block or the texture image block to the block image memory in the case where the command signal indicates an image block determination processing procedure and an image block position.

21. An image generating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the image memory access section includes: a first image memory access section for receiving the first pixel position signal and the second pixel position signal, for reading out pixel data from the pixel position indicated by the first pixel position signal to output the pixel data as the first pixel data signal, and for writing pixel data input by the second pixel data signal to the pixel position indicated by the second pixel position signal; and a second image memory access section for receiving the third pixel position signal, for reading out pixel data from the pixel position indicated by the third pixel position signal to output the pixel data as the third pixel data signal, for receiving the second pixel position signal and for writing pixel data input by the second pixel data signal to the block image memory in the case where the second pixel position signal indicates a pixel position in the block image memory,

wherein the image generating apparatus includes the block image memory for storing a texture image or a differential image block and for inputting and outputting pixel data from the pixel position specified by the second image memory access section.

22. An image generating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the pixel position specifying circuit obtains a pixel position in a reference image block for motion compensation to output the pixel position as the first pixel position signal, obtains a pixel position in a generated polygon to output the pixel position as the second pixel position signal, and obtains a pixel position in a differential image block as the third pixel position signal in the case where the control circuit indicates simultaneous implementation of the motion compensation processing procedure and the texture mapping processing procedure.

23. An image generating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the pixel calculation circuit includes a multiplier generating section for generating a multiplier in accordance with a calculation indicated by the control circuit, a multiplication section for multiplying pixel data input by the first pixel data signal by the multiplier generated in the multiplier generating section, an addition section for adding pixel data input by the third pixel data signal to a result of the calculation in the multiplication section to output a result of the addition as the second pixel data signal.

24. An image generating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the pixel calculation circuit includes a multiplier generating section for generating a first multiplier and a second multiplier in accordance with a calculation indicated by the control circuit, a first multiplication section for multiplying pixel data input by the first multiplier generated in the multiplier generating section, a second multiplication section for multiplying pixel data input by the third pixel data signal by the second multiplier generated in the multiplier generating section, and an addition section for adding a result of the calculation in the first multiplication section to a result of the calculation in the second multiplication section to output a result of the addition as the second pixel data signal.

25. An image generating apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the multiplication section or the first multiplication section multiplies the pixel data by 1, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8.

26. An image generating apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the number of pixels of image data capable of being stored in the block image memory is the same as that of a reference image block, a generated image block and a differential image block.

27. An image generating apparatus according to claim 19, wherein image data capable of being stored in the block image memory is rectangular image data of 16.times.16 pixels in size.

28. An image generating apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the block image memory is realized on the semiconductor element on which at least the pixel calculation circuit is placed.

29. A moving picture expansion mapping apparatus comprising:

a variable-length inverse coding section for performing a variable-length inverse coding processing procedure for a compressed image block obtained by orthogonally transforming and variable-length coding a differential image block obtained by a difference with a reference image block by motion prediction;
an orthogonal transform section for receiving and orthogonally transforming a result of the variable-length inverse coding processing procedure; and
an image generating apparatus according to claim 1 for receiving a result of the orthogonal transform section, performing a motion compensation processing procedure, and performing a texture mapping processing procedure by using image data obtained by the motion compensation processing procedure, thereby simultaneously implementing an expansion processing procedure and a texture mapping processing procedure for compressed moving picture data.

30. A multimedia apparatus comprising:

a CPU;
a main memory;
a moving picture expansion mapping apparatus according to claim 29; and
a frame memory,
wherein the frame memory is connected to the moving picture expansion mapping device, stores at least a reference image and a generated image, and expands compressed moving picture data while texture mapping an image obtained by expansion to a surface of a three-dimensional object.
Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
5412765 May 2, 1995 Yamrom et al.
5469535 November 21, 1995 Jarvis et al.
5485558 January 16, 1996 Weise et al.
5659672 August 19, 1997 Yutaka et al.
Foreign Patent Documents
6162165 June 1994 JPX
Patent History
Patent number: 5892518
Type: Grant
Filed: Jul 26, 1996
Date of Patent: Apr 6, 1999
Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Kadoma)
Inventors: Norihiko Mizobata (Habikino), Takuya Sayama (Settsu)
Primary Examiner: Cliff N. Vo
Law Firm: Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, P.L.L.
Application Number: 8/687,892
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: 345/431; 345/430
International Classification: G06T 1140;